latest news from Israel in english

On the background of the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah representatives of the European Union began preparations for the return of EUBAM observers at the checkpoint «Rafah» on the border with Egypt.

According to the website Ynet, last week the EU Ambassador in Israel Emanuel Garrett met with the coordinator of the Israeli government’s actions in the territories Yoav Mordechai, to discuss the possible return of the observers at the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

EUBAM Rafah left in 2007 after the authorities in the Gaza strip was seized by Hamas. Since the beginning of the mission 30 November 2005 to 9 June 2007, when the mission left the crossing through Rafah were 450.000 people, on average, were passed 1,500 people a day.

In recent years, the border crossing was opened only for a few days a year. Under the terms of the agreement between Hamas and Fatah, November 1, for the work of the PPC will meet Palestinian authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Egypt, which supported intra-Palestinian reconciliation, promised that this will open the «Rafah» to go in both directions.

On the website of EUBAM stated that her budget is approved until 30 June 2018. Year mission dedicated to 1.98 million euros, and observers are waiting to return to Rafah.

EUBAM observers are preparing to return to the checkpoint «Rafah» 29.10.2017